WILL THERE BE TRANSPORTATION TO STEEL VALLEY ELEMENTARY?

With the transition to a single elementary school and an interconnected, unified district campus, the Steel Valley School District recognizes that providing transportation will be important to its students and families. As construction begins on the new school, the district is exploring multiple avenues for transportation.

One option could be to run a shuttle system, with designated pick-up areas throughout Homestead, Munhall, and West Homestead. Another could be traditional busing, with students either being picked up outside of their residences or at specific intersections. Additional options are also being examined.

The district is also weighing whether to provide transportation for all students or just elementary students. It’s important to note that districts that provide transportation for students are then legally obligated to provide transportation to students living in the district who attend charter schools and private schools, which increases the cost of transportation and leads to more complex challenges in managing routes, availability of bus drivers, and more.

Whichever path the district chooses for transportation, Steel Valley Elementary is designed to accommodate mass transportation. While transportation guidelines are subject to change, buses would turn off Main Street onto Woodlawn Avenue. The buses would pass through a gate that would be closed during the school day and pull up to the curb on the east end of the building. Students would embark or disembark the bus, which would then leave the campus through another secure gate near the middle school/high school building before exiting out of the secondary campus parking lot onto Main Street.

Automobile traffic would enter on East Oliver Road, circle around the elementary parking lot to pick up or drop off students, and then exit back out on East Oliver Road. Ample parking on the east and south ends of the elementary campus would provide plenty of space for teachers and staff. Additional staff and administrative parking will be located off of East Oliver Road, connected to the existing Steel Valley Grows Garden, pavilion, and pond, which will be untouched during construction and remain an educational asset for the district.

Sidewalks and crosswalks are in the design to enable pedestrians to safely walk to and from school.